


We didn't meet. We collided.

by StubbornLoveyBatch



Category: Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, Sherlock - Fandom
Genre: Car Accident, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hospital, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-02-14 14:21:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2195034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StubbornLoveyBatch/pseuds/StubbornLoveyBatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader/you is/are having a terrible time in every aspect of life and just when you think it cannot get any worse you're involved in a car crash. With no family and barely any friends around you are shocked to find a person sitting by your hospital bed...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The dog and the park

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting any fan fiction publicly, so please go easy on me! Any comments/feedback or ideas of how to improve will be greatly appreciated, enjoy:)

You launched the torn carrier bag holding your lunch in to the back of the car, slamming the door as you slumped in to the drivers seat. Today had been terrible, you had finally escaped from the office at 8:30pm although you were supposed to finish at 6, your boss had given you nothing but criticism for the past week and you'd had enough. 

Putting the car into gear you pushed the gas pedal straight to the floor and skidded the wheels as you sped angrily off the car park, you headed straight for the motorway, determined not to stop until you reached your flat. As you turned off on to the slip road you had calmed down slightly, you were now driving just below the speed limit and were more focused on the road and the cars around you, back on the streets of London which were growing quieter as the night dragged on. Driving along the road next to the park about 10 minutes away from your house you began to think about everything that had gone wrong for you over the past month. Jake, your long term boyfriend, had left you for your high school best friend. You had almost lost your job twice and were now on your final warning through no fault of your own. Your parents had moved away to New Zealand after a heated argument with you. And to top it all off you were behind on payment of rent on your flat.

Things had spiralled so badly to a point of no return but being an optimist you presumed things could only get better... The thoughts in your head were cut off by shear panic as a dog jumped the wall surrounding the park and leapt on to the road in front of your car. It paused in its tracks, staring wide eyed in to the oncoming head lights of your vehicle. Moving your foot to the right you planted it firmly on the brake pedal and forced it down... Or at least you tried to... Something was stopping the pedal from going down. The blood pumped through your veins threatening to burst from your pulsing temples, in a moment of stupidity you swerved out on to the other side of the road and around the dog that was now cowering in the middle of the road.

You puffed out a sigh of relief and temporarily forgot about the thing jamming the brake pedal, flashing back in to reality you glanced to the floor to see an apple, stuck under the brake pedal. It had fallen from the bag which held your un-eaten lunch and must have rolled under your seat and under the brake pedal. You glanced back up to the road; a sleek black Jaguar was heading straight towards you, the driver slammed on their brakes, you attempted to do the same. The apple crunched and split allowing you access... But it was too late. 

Your car went cascading in to the front of the Jaguar.

Darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*. You awoke to the steady beeping of a heart monitor and the soft humming of machinery, opening your eyes you forced yourself to close them again, the bright light towering over you shone directly in to your eyes. You pushed yourself to sit upright against the headboard on the bed, groaning as you did, each slight movement brought an agonising arrow of pain shooting from your shoulder, up your neck and straight in to your head. You kept your eyes clamped shut, not daring to open them and assess the damage you had caused to yourself... But in your heart there was an ache, a feeling of dread as you remembered the other car. Pure panic consumed your entire body. Your mind raced raising your heart rate as it searched desperately for answers, your hands began to shake uncontrollably...

Then you felt it, a soothing hand resting on top of yours, then you heard the light snoring that drifted peacefully around the room, the source of the noise was coming from right next to you! Within seconds your eyes were open, the dazzling lights and the overall brightness of the hospital room in which you lay burned your eyes. As your eyes came in to focus you could just about make out the blurry figure curled up on the chair next to your bed, it was a tall man, with a slim build and a head of messy, light brown\auburn curls. You didn't recognise him, in fact, he was a stranger, nevertheless he was holding your hand in his, his slender fingers wrapped carefully around your delicate, shaky hand.


	2. The Perfect Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter in the series "We didn't meet. We collided." In which you/reader begin to ease back in to reality after the accident and attempt to find out who the stranger is sat beside you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you came back to read chapter 2 then thank you, it really means a lot to me! Again, any feedback or advice is much appreciated! '______' is a space for OFC's name.

A comforting warmth emitted from his body, surrounding your hand and spreading through your entire body, observing his face as he slept you noticed a large gash that had been dealt with and stitched up. A wrist support was wrapped around his lower arm and a purple bruise was beginning to form on his protruding cheek bone, close to the socket of his eye. You had so many questions floating around in your head that needed answering: who was this man? What happened to the person in the other car? Did the dog survive? When could you go home?

It had felt like so long since you had last drank or eaten so seeing the glass of water on the table next to you brought relief, your throat was dry and scratchy so any drink would have been a blessing. You gulped down the glass of water in record time, you drank so fast that the sudden intake made you cough. Well... Cough isn't exactly the right word... More like choke. The figure sitting next to you awoke in a panic, unfolding his arms and legs and leaping out of the chair on which he had slept, it took a moment for him to take in his surroundings and regain his balance but as soon as he did he had already set to work on pouring you another glass of water. He handed it carefully to you and you took slow, tiny sips in between taking deep breaths, he patted your back gently until you appeared to be breathing normally again.

"Oh thank God! I thought I might have to do the Heimlich manoeuvre on you then as well as..." He trailed off, his voice was so velvety, smooth and deep, he was so well spoken and he spoke with such sincerity. The man sat in the chair by your bed once again, you positioned yourself so that you were comfortable against the headboard, the pain shot through you again and you cried out a little. Your pathetic little cry obviously evoked some sympathy in the man as he winced at your every movement, as though he could feel the pain you were experiencing. The two of you sat in silence for a few minutes, you were the first to speak, "What did you mean when you said 'as well as'?" You posed the question and awaited a response. "Oh forget about that, it's not important. How are you feeling? You've been asleep for the past two days" he replied, his eyes searching yours for any sign of an answer. You hesitated before responding, "I'm as good as can be expected, I suppose. Sorry, I don't mean to be rude but who are you? I never asked your name".

He began to speak " My name is B-..." but was cut off by the hospital room door swinging open, it was the nurse. "Ah Miss _______, you are awake!" She exclaimed "Excuse me sir, but I need to carry out some tests now so I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The man nodded in acknowledgement and clambered to his feet. As he stood he patted your hand, smiled and headed for the door, he stopped just before pulling the handle and turned to you. "I hope you make a fast recovery, ______! Hopefully I might see you around some time soon- when you get out of course- erm, good bye." His cheeks flushed with a pink glow and with a confident wave he left before you could respond. The room felt somehow emptier and colder when he had gone.

Was it possible to miss someone who you knew absolutely nothing about? This man had shown you kindness and support at a time when you needed it the most, yet you didn't even know his name, where he was from, why he was sitting next to your bed awaiting your awakening. The nurse tinkered with the equipment in the room and asked you several questions about your life prior to the accident, she jotted notes on to the paper at the end of your bed and asked if you had any questions; wow, where to start? "How is the other person? The one whose car I crashed in to?" Your question appeared to have a very obvious answer as the nurse looked at you, rather puzzled, nevertheless she answered your question: "I thought it was quite obvious how they are, but they walked away with a few cuts and bruises- oh and a sprained wrist" she stopped for a moment to let you process what you had just heard and then continued "I presumed that you might have noticed the damage, you have only just woke up though so things are probably a bit hazy".

After considering your next question very carefully you spoke once more. "Who was the man sitting at my bedside? I never got chance to ask his name or find out anything about him, like why he was sat by my bed". The nurse now took a seat in the much used bedside chair. "Oh gosh, sorry I thought you knew who he was... His name is Ben, he was in the other car, I'm quite surprised you didn't recognise him actually, A LOT of other people did!" A warmth flushed over your body, mainly guilt with a hint of embarrassment, firstly for crashing in to him, secondly for leading the nurse to believe you knew about everything. Your voice was unsteady when you spoke and carried an underlying tone of confusion, "Oh, but why would he- I don't underst- why was he waiting by my bed for me to wake up? A stranger wouldn't care, surely." A look of shock appeared on the nurses pale face and her eyebrows furrowed causing frown lines to form on her forehead. She took your hand in hers and spoke calmly but factually. "Darling you really have no clue do you? That man cares a lot about you, without him you probably wouldn't be here right now-" you cut her off by interrupting. "What do you mean by that?!" You blurted out, angrily and impatiently. "______, that man, Ben, dragged you from your burning car and performed CPR at the roadside. He sprained his wrist trying to open your door. He's the reason you are alive today..." She replied.

Silence.


	3. Coffee and confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being discharged you ponder about your future, which leads to a big decision to leave the past in the past and to live for the future. The reappearance of Ben...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know it all seems pretty cliché but it's hard you know! Hopefully as the relationship develops it will get easier. Any comments or advice are gratefully accepted :) thank you!

After about a week the hospital staff came to a general consensus that you had recovered enough to be discharged and to finally go home, you packed up the measly belongings that your landlord had been 'kind enough' to drop off and headed for the front doors. 

Without many contacts in and around the London area your options as to who to ask for a lift home off were limited. Very limited. Okay, basically you had one option, Jake. As you stood outside the confines of the hospital the frosty, cold breeze bit at your pale skin, taking deep breaths you cleared the clean, almost artificial oxygen from your lungs and replaced it with the crappy London air that your body had become accustomed to. Using the nearest payphone you punched in Jake's number, listened to the dialing tone and wondered if he would even pick up.

"Hello?" His voice rang out.  
"Hey Jake. Erm, it's me, ______" you responded.  
"Oh hi, sorry, I didn't recognise the number! Listen, ______ I've been meaning to talk to you-" you cut him off before he could finish.  
"Jake, can you just pick me up from the hospital please?" You asked.  
"Crap! The hospital? Are you okay? What happened?" He asked all at once.  
"I'll explain it all when you get me, okay?" You sighed.  
"Sure, I'll set off now, we can talk when I get there" he replied.  
"Bye" you said quickly and put the phone down before he could respond.

You knew exactly what he wanted to 'talk about', from endless days of scrolling through Facebook whilst stuck in hospital you had watched his relationship unravel first hand. He was single again, and lonely. Jake was most likely going to apologise for making a 'huge mistake', beg for your forgiveness and reiterate the fact that you are 'the only girl' for him. It had worked so many times before, but not this time. Pathetic.

Jake pulled up in his silver Volkswagen a few minutes later and after dumping your bags in to the boot you slumped down in to the passenger seat, he began to speak but you stopped him. "Look Jake, if you want to talk can we at least go to the coffee shop or something? And not do this on the hospital car park." He followed your instructions and the two of you went to the coffee shop that you frequented a lot back when you were a couple. The car journey and walk to the coffee shop were done in complete silence, you entered the shop and sat at a table by the window, Jake ordered the drinks as you gazed longingly out at the brisk London morning. You thought about the past few days, about the crash, the hospital, but mainly about Ben. By probing the nurse for more answers whilst you were in hospital you had discovered a lot more about him, his real name was Benedict, he was an actor, he had waited at the hospital without leaving until you had woken up. But one thing just really stood out, one amazing, wonderful fact about this perfect stranger. He had saved your life.

By the time Jake returned you felt happy again, thinking about Ben had brought a comforting warmth spreading through your body, as Jake began to talk you became less interested in what he was saying and more interested in your thoughts. Placing your cup on to the table you lay your hands flat against the smooth wood, Jake extended his arm, placing his hand over yours, and although you hadn't listened to a word he had said you spoke to him, truthful and to the point.  
"I can't forgive what you did, I loved you, and you broke my heart. It wasn't fair Jake, and you know it!" You began to sob lightly "all I ever wanted was for us to last, and you ruined it every time, I can't take you back. Just leave, now."  
"But ______ I've change-" he retorted.  
"Now!" You repeated, angry and frustrated.

He got up and left. You sobbed loudly now, you didn't care who noticed, you felt heartbroken but you knew it was the right thing to do, you lay your folded arms on the table and rested your forehead on them. Your coat soaked up the falling tears and the thick sleeves muffled your cries, the bell on the door jingled as it swung open but you didn't even lift your head to acknowledge the sound. A few moments later you heard gentle footsteps approaching yet you still didn't lift your head, instead you waited for them to speak. And they did.

"E-excuse me Miss, are you alright?" The voice said.  
Your eyes darted upwards, you recognised that voice, you recognised that face, those eyes, that hair. He was here to save you... Again. It was him. It was Ben.


	4. The napkin and the number.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an argument with Jake has left you crying in a coffee shop, a familiar voice soothes you and helps you tackle your demons. (Relatively short chapter, apologies).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for kind comments and kudos, it means an awful lot to me, I love writing this and plan to continue updating frequently :)
> 
> Any comments/feedback/advice is much appreciated as I'm still relatively new to this whole thing!

As your eyes met his he let out a sharp breath and plonked down on to the chair opposite you.  
"I didn't recognise you without the hospital gown and machines" he chuckled. You didn't feel much like smiling but his joke made the corners of your mouth turn upwards, he'd only been there for less than a minute and he'd already made you smile.  
"I'm even more of a mess now I'm finally out of that place" you retorted, he flashed you a sympathetic smile before shifting awkwardly in his chair.  
"I wanted to say thank you, Ben, but also I wanted to say how sorry I am, for smashing up your beautiful car, spraining your wrist, cutting your head and bruising your face" you stopped to take a breath but Ben started speaking.  
"Please do not apologise, a car is a material item, it can be fixed or replaced, a life is much more valuable and precious. And I honestly thought the impact of my car had killed you" He forced himself to look out of the window as the salty water pooled in to his eyes.  
"You saved my life, Ben. I can never repay that." You responded.  
Ben considered this for a moment before simply and sincerely replying.  
"I would never want you to, saving your life was a reward in itself!"

The kindness of this complete stranger, who coincidentally saved your life, was overpowering and not at all making the emotional rollercoaster you were currently on any easier to deal with, but it did however make the ride seem a little smoother. A tear rolled down your cheek and splashed as it hit the table, more followed. It had all got a bit too much for you and you were tumbling further in to the put of depression that so often loomed, you needed to talk to someone, let it all out and Ben was right there, so you told him all about it. About your parents, about your job, about Jake, then you broke down. "You would have been better off just leaving me to die!" You grunt helplessly. Ben stood up and moved to sit next to you on the bench seat, he placed a careful arm around your back, pulling you in to his warm welcoming chest and out of the malevolent darkness which grew ever closer. He moved his hand soothingly across your back until you had calmed down, he placed his chin on the top of your head and talked to you slowly and calmly, his voice deep and symphonic amongst the clinking of the cups in the coffee shop.  
"______, I know things seem hard but you can get through this. I know you can. I've only met you twice in my life but I know that you have pulled through against all the odds before, and you can do it again!" He said.  
The darkness seemed to be fading slowly and with Ben there comforting you, you knew that soon the darkness would be gone.

After about 45 minutes of holding you close and reassuring you Benedict announced that he had to leave, and with a quick hug goodbye he left the coffee. You gathered up your things and stacked the cups on the table, you moved the napkin from where Ben had been sat and noticed that something was written on it. 

'CHIN UP SWEETHEART, THINGS WILL GET BETTER! - BEN x'

Underneath it was his phone number and some more writing 'p.s. if you ever need to talk just give me a call!'  
You smiled and chuckled, people in the coffee shop glanced your way, but you didn't worry about it. Someone finally cared!


	5. The unwanted visitor and a broken heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After returning home to find an unwanted visitor, how will you react to finding out you have been disowned? And who will make you feel better?...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter may be slightly confusing... It's been 3 weeks since reader last saw Benedict and he's worried about her and her looming depression... Hence why there's a knock on the door!
> 
> Thank you so much for comments, Kudos and all your support, it seriously means the world to me! Also, if you would like to maybe you could follow my tumblr 'heycumberbackhere' I will follow back and am currently accepting one shot requests in my ask box! Much love- Sophie :)

It had been two weeks since your coffee shop run in with Benedict, you had texted him later that night to thank him for all of his support and you and him had continued to text back and forth quite a bit since then. You had been feeling surprisingly uplifted after Benedict's pep talk and now spent most of your days out and about, searching for a new job, you had decided to resign from your old job due to the stress and pressure it was putting on you.

Upon returning to your flat after a long (yet unsuccessful) day of job hunting 3 weeks later, you realise that the door has been left ajar, panic sweeps through your entire body and your fingers begin to tingle. There's no sign of a forced entry, you mentally analyse who would have got in and how... Then it hits you. Only one person in the world has an extra key to your flat. Pushing the door, your worst fears are confirmed as it creaks and reveals the last person you wanted to see right now. Your mum.

"Oh. Nice to see you are actually alive" she snorted, she pursed her lips and awaited your response, eyes fixed to the floor.  
"What are you doing here?" You ask, hoping that there was a simple explanation for her visit.  
"How dare you not tell us about your accident, you could have died and we wouldn't have even known!" She shouted.  
"Oh leave it out mum, at least you'd have had one less problem to concern yourself with I'd died" you blurted out.  
For a second she looked genuinely hurt by your statement but then her face dropped again and set hard like stone,"you're not my problem anyway " she replied, "no one in New Zealand even knows I have a daughter, I chose not to tell them about you."  
The spitefulness of this bitter woman made you sick to your stomach and you wished that you could remove everything that linked you to her, birth certificate, genes, even your surname. Before you could consider what you were going to do you were already up and guiding her to the door, prior to shutting her out you yelled "mother, please kindly fuck off and never come back". With that you sent the door rocketing shut and slumped down to the floor with your back resting against it.

Tears tumbled continuously. Your own mother had disowned you. This should have come as a relief to you. But it didn't, it hurt. It really, really hurt. Emotional pain is so much more intense and unforgiving than physical pain, for a second you realised that this hurt even more than your injuries from the car crash had, and taking pain killers would not eradicate this pain as easily as it did for cuts and bruises.

A light knocking on the door pulled you from your trance but you couldn't bring yourself to stand up and answer it. All you needed right now was to talk to Benedict, he knew all the right things to say and exactly how to cheer you up, you found his name in the contacts on your phone and pressed call. The dialing tone rang out for a few seconds before ringing could be heard in the other side of the door, he picked up almost instantly.  
" Ben, please, I need someone to talk to... " he cut you off.  
"Well let me in then!" He said. You wanted to, so badly, but you physically couldn't, your knees trembled uncontrollably and your voice came out in pathetic whimpers.  
"I... I can't do it Ben... Physically" you cried.  
"Please ______, be calm, all you have to do is reach and flick the latch" his voice was soothing and he sounded relaxed yet slightly panicked. With your left hand you reached up and pulled at the lock until it clicked, before slumping back down into an unstable heap on the floor, in front of the door.

You felt him gently ease the door open, it pushes you slightly as the door moves, he squeezes through the small opening he has made and immediately drops to his knees, pulling you into his miraculous chest once again. Allowing him to gently rock you backwards and forwards in his arms, you collapse in to him, his arms envelope you, providing warmth, protection, safety and a promise never to let anything hurt you again. The soft beating of his heart works as a perfect distraction from the horrible experience you had just had and the careful movements he makes ensure that you have nothing to fear as long as Benedict is there, his fingers move intricately through your long hair as he twiddles it around in an attempt to make you more relaxed. 

After a good 10 minutes of just holding you, in silence, not a single word spoken, Ben scoops you up in to his muscular and carries you to the sofa, he places you gently down and sits next to you. You lean in to his chest again, he lifts his arm and places it around your shoulder, using his hand he pulls your head in tight against his body, stooping his head he places a loving kiss on the top of your head and smooths out your dishevelled hair with his hand. "_____, I will always be here for you, you understand that right?" He asked, his velvet voice causing a warmth to flood through your body, "I might be away filming a lot of the time, but I'm only ever a phone call away" he continued. You requested that he spoke beautiful poems and extracts that he knew from studying years ago, in order to cheer you up. Eye lids grew heavy and you drifted off to sleep in Benedict's caring embrace, his heavy, contented breathing also signalled that he too had fallen asleep, wrapped around you, protecting you. He interlaced his fingers in yours and sighed happily. You hadn't slept that well in years. Literally.


	6. 'In my younger and more vulnerable days...'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Benedict once again coming to the rescue, he accidentally sleeps over but when he wakes up he announces that he's late for an interview... Is he really angry with you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies firstly for not posting in a while, I've just gone back to college but should be able to post a bit more frequently now! Secondly, for the lack of total Ben all the way through this chapter, I'm just using this as a filler to lead into the next chapter which is going to be kind of sweet :')  
> Thanks for all your support, I hope you enjoy it!  
> P.s. the title for this chapter is taken from the first line of The Great Gatsby which I absolutely adore:')
> 
> SORRY IT'S SO SHORT, MORE WILL BE UP LATER MY LOVELIES!

A soft voice woke you from your blissful sleep and with a flutter of your eyelids you looked up to see Benedict, crouched yet somehow still towering over you, he spoke, his voice filled with sleepyness and slight agitation.  
"________, I have to go. I didn't intend on staying" he began, a pang of sadness travelled through your body, he'd basically just admitted that he didn't want to stay. "Well, I'm kind of late for an interview, see you later", he stooped a little lower and hugged you before he dashed out of the door.

Benedict hadn't even offered any kind of an explanation as to where he was going and the hint of anger in his voice made you feel somewhat responsible. You considered texting him to apologise but decided against it, he had initiated the hug on the sofa and he was the one who fell asleep and didn't leave, it's not like you held him hostage. It had been so wonderful to feel safe in a man's arms after so long, you didn't even mind the slight sense of guilt that you felt for being partly to blame for his temporary absence from his interview,you had felt content and you only had Ben to thank for that.

The day passed quite quickly although you hardly did anything, after such a disastrous day yesterday, with your mother's 'surprise' visit, you just wanted to relax and do a bit of clearing out. By 3 o'clock you had successfully cleared the useless things from the spare room that you had but didn't use in your flat. You stacked endless books in the space that you'd created, reading had always been one of your passions, the great thing about books was that you could escape to an entirely different place. Miles away from reality, where even if the setting was dismal and dark, there was always something intriguing, beckoning you to read on and become encaptured in the book.

Picking up the book from the top of the pile you began flicking through it, scanning the pages, memories flooded back, it was a paperback edition of 'The Great Gatsby' from your college years. You had always loved and admired the compassion and dedication that Gatsby had shown towards the undeserving Daisy, silently wishing that one day someone would feel that way about you. So far, no such luck! The beeping of your phone disturbed you from your unrealistic daydream, it was Ben.

"We need to talk. I'll send a car to come and get you -Ben"

Your heart sunk deep into your chest and you struggled to catch your breath. Briefly you responded, too terrified to do anything else.

"Right now? Where am I going?- _______"

Within seconds your phone beeped again.

"Yes. Car is on its way, wait outside- Ben"

He'd completely avoided the question, but instead of probing him any further you decided to do as he said. You sorted your hair into a scruffy bun, grabbed your bag and headed outside...


	7. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, you are off to meet Benedict at an unknown location, in this chapter Ben has something important to tell you... He's acting strange and you can't understand why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for not updating so regularly now, so this chapter's pretty short but the one I'm typing up today is going to be a monster of a chapter, this one ends sort of on a cliff hanger but it won't be long until you all find out more. I know I always say that the next chapter will be up really soon and it never is but this time I promise you it will be up tonight :D thanks for your comments, kudos and bookmarks, if I could hug you all I would :')

A sleek black Jaguar was already waiting outside by the time you'd got to the bottom of the staircase, the engine purred loudly and the driver proceeded to clamber out and open the door for you. Climbing in, you headed off to meet Benedict, location: unknown, purpose: unknown.

The car pulled up outside a beautiful Victorian house, converted into flats, Benedict's was the top one, you pressed the buzzer to let him know you had arrived and he responded within seconds. "Come straight up, the door's already open", you climbed the twisting stairs, heart in your mouth ready to leap out at the first chance it got, you felt so nervous. Ben's texts had been so straight to the point and emotionless, he probably still blamed you for his late arrival to his interview, the bluntness of his messages was what worried you. But what concerned you even more was that one sentence he'd used... "We need to talk"... Usually things that started with that didn't end well.

You pushed open the door to the flat and Benedict greeted you with a warm hug and an adorable smile, he was dressed in a tight blue shirt and skinny black pants, his hair was slicked carefully back yet something seemed strange. You could tell something was wrong. Benedict had always seemed so genuinely happy and polite when the two of you had met up (which was a lot in the past few weeks) and you'd got to know him so well, told him things you'd never told anyone before, you could practically read him like a book now. His whole body seemed so tense, a disturbing awkwardness hung in the air and this was unlike anything you'd experienced with Ben before, he was usually so smooth and flirtatious. Ben attempted to break the awkwardness by offering you a drink, some food, but you declined both politely, the awkward feeling returned so you challenged him. "Ben, what's wrong? I can see through that smile, and something is clearly wrong" you paused before continuing "you've made me feel better on so many occasions, now it's my turn! Just tell me Ben, talk to me" you pleaded. The attachment you had developed to Benedict made seeing him in this state terribly difficult, but you could hardly pull him close to your chest and make everything better... Only Ben had the ability to do that.

Benedict strolled over to the plush armchair directly opposite the brown leather sofa on which you were sat and took a seat. He puffed out his cheeks and leant forward, elbows resting on his knees, that was when you knew it was something serious and something that was really getting Ben down. "I- I- I just feel so terrible about leaving so quickly without explaining myself earlier today, I can't excuse it. So I thought if I brought you here I could attempt to explain why I really left", his voice kept catching slightly in his throat as he spoke and his hands shook a little, not noticeably, but you could still tell. "I presumed it'd be easier to tell you in person, rather than over the phone, but gosh... This is hard" he chuckled nervously, you were totally confused by what Ben was saying, he had a perfectly plausible reason to leave, he had an interview. And a very important one at that! You decided to save him the hassle of his 'explanation' by reassure him that you were fine with what had happened.  
"Ben, don't be daft, you had to go, you had an interview..." You trailed off when he slumped his head into his hands, why couldn't he look at you? Surely this wasn't something to do with you being partly responsible, he'd show up late, flash his wonderful smile and all would be forgiven, why was he so bothered about it? He spoke before you had the chance to ask him.


	8. 'Fragile'...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benedict has something that he has to tell you, but how will you take the news? After an argument he admits something to you unlike anyone has done before or ever will again, he tells you that...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola loyal readers (and anyone who's stumbled upon this by other means) here is the next chapter, a bit confusing tbf, please if you don't understand then tell me and I'll try and edit it :)  
> I got most of my inspiration for these chapters in this series from song lyrics, for this one in particular try listening to 'Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop' by Landon Pigg, maybe you'll recognise a line of lyrics that are used here ;D  
> I hope you all enjoy it, the next chapter is 100% guaranteed to be superfluff and I can't wait to write it! Thanks for the support, comments and kudos I love you all and appreciate you so much :D have a lovely day guys- Sophie :)

"I lied about the interview... Well not totally, I did have one today but it wasn't until 1 o'clock" Ben paused to observe your reaction before continuing "I had ages to get there, I just feel so bad, I'm sorry if I've upset you. Please. _______, say something" he begged. You didn't know what to say, you felt an ache in your chest but you had no reason to, Ben was your friend, the two of you had no commitments, you just hung out every so often when you were both free. But this still hurt. A lot.

More than anything it made you feel guilty "Jesus Christ Ben, you didn't have to stay, you're free to leave whenever you need to, you're a busy man, you're a famous actor, I don't expect you to specially find time for me. We just keep each other company. You should have known that I wouldn't hold this against you" you said, your carefully selected words laced with a slight irritation. The ache persisted to exist within your chest, Ben was a free spirit and you thought he was the one person who actually enjoyed your company, obviously not, you were angry that he'd lied to 'escape' your company but you felt guilty, like you'd made him unwillingly suffer your terrible company for so long and it was your fault he'd left.

A tornado of thoughts swirled destructively through your mind, each thought adding to the damage and devastation it was causing, that's when you felt it, his warm hands wrapped protectively around yours, soothing the storm, taming the tornado. Ben shuffled closer to the edge of his chair, beckoning you to say something, hopelessness lined the guilt in his eyes, so you did what you thought was best, you stayed quiet. He opened his mouth, shutting it again briefly to rethink, then he spoke "____, I'm so sorry, please don't despise me though, the only time I ever lie is to protect others and in this case it was no different". Benedict's statement made you even angrier, the lie he'd told didn't protect you, you had an ache in your heart and your blood pressure was probably through the roof as your temper rose, this lie wasn't harmless, even if it was intended to be, it was hurtful. " What are you talking about? Stop excusing it! It would have hurt a lot less if you hadn't done it in the first place! I thought you were a decent, respectable gentleman, how can you even say you did this to protect me?" You blurted out angrily.

Ben looked taken aback by your sudden outburst and his eyes had grown sad, his breaths short and raspy and his hands were shaking more visibly now, yet he composed himself and told you what he thought you wanted to hear... "Because you're fragile _____! And if I'd have told you right then and there you would have started to break down again. And I certainly didn't want that!"

Fragile? Fucking fragile? How dare he. Any word in the English language but he chose to use that one. You saw red. Jumping up and ripping your hands from in his you stormed to the rear of the house, unsure of where you were going yet needing to escape. You came to two sliding doors which led out onto the roof of the flat which was a terrace, draped in flowers and nature, you slid the door angrily, footsteps gaining in urgency behind you, the rain was plummeting but you had to get out. Ben called out your name several times, pleading with you to hear him out, he was desperate and as soon as you got outside you leaned against the white wall, panting and gripped your fingers into it in an attempt to control your anger, letting the cold lashings of rain cool your skin and calm your mood.

A few moments later he was next to you, grabbing your hands and forcing you to look at him, his eyes were filled with desperation and you decided to listen to what he had to say 

"_____, you misunderstood everything I said in there, I left because that was what was best for both of us, can't you understand that?" You shook your head indefinitely, so he continued "when I woke up, with you in my arms all I wanted to do was stay forever, pull you closer, forget about the world! But you most likely didn't feel the same, so I left to prevent us both from the hurt". Struggling to interpret his words you still couldn't understand what he was implying, tearing your hands from his again as the rain dripped down your forehead you yelled impatiently "just get to the point! How would hugging have hurt us?", his answer shocked you, left you speechless, standing silently in the pouring rain...

"It would have hurt us both if you didn't feel the same and you know it, the guilt and the awkwardness, we'd never get over it" he responded, you were still rather confused. This had all been sprung on you in a very short space of time and instead of cooling you down the rain felt like it had frozen your brain, preventing you from doing or saying anything, but you didn't need to, Ben stepped closer to you and spoke more clearly and confidently now, gently catching your hand in his but not holding it "and because I was scared of spending more time with you, scared of what it would do to me" you felt insulted, if he was trying to win you over it wasn't quite the approach you'd suggest, he continued. "Every second that I'm with you... I think... Erm this is going to sound totally cliché... I fall further for you, and the thing I've learnt about love is it's not about how fast you fall in love, but how far in love you actually fall".

Benedict pulled your hands close to his face and kissed each of them gently and lovingly, the rain trickled down your entire body, your clothes clung to you and Ben's shirt was practically stuck to his chest, which he pulled you in to. After a while of getting your head around what he'd just said you melted into his strong arms, he'd just admitted his affection towards you and didn't even pressure you for a response, he was just relieved to have the weight off his shoulders. 

As the two of you stood in the pouring rain, hugging each other tightly and swaying slightly you knew exactly what Ben was explaining because in reality you felt the same, you tilted your head up towards Benedict's, looked him in those beautiful oceanic eyes and spoke. Just a sentence, but you needed to say it... You just had to. 

"I think that possibly, maybe I've fallen for you too Benedict."


	9. Rain hugs and Wooly Jumpers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benedict has just admitted something unbelievable to you, how will you deal with this news? Standing in the rain, time flying by, you have some time to think...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for comments, kudos and views, it hit 1000 views today! I am actually over the moon, it means so much to me, I love you all!

The rain poured harder now, you were thankful for it though as you were certain that without it your cheeks would have actually caught fire. The raging blush that now consumed your face would not fade, similarly to the not-so-subtle grin that lined your face from cheek to cheek. Benedict had scared you and made you angry, really angry, but what he'd just admitted to you made up for that totally, no one had ever confessed that they liked you before, even Jake didn't. That was more a one way relationship. Although you weren't completely certain of your feelings towards Ben, you knew that you definitely felt some affection towards him and you hoped that over time that spark would blossom into something beautiful, something more. You longed to be in love.

As the blush finally began to disappear so did the heat and you now found yourself standing in the lashing rain, shivering and freezing yet still grinning like an idiot! Ben spoke to you briefly about whether you felt the same, you had agreed and assured him that he definitely meant an awful lot to you but also mentioned the fact that you didn't feel quite ready for a relationship yet. All the terrible stuff that had happened; losing your job, breaking up with Jake, your stupid parents and the crash had really put you off life and you had begun to wish that Benedict hadn't have saved you. But he did. He did just that. Ben saved you literally and emotionally, every time you fell apart he came to you when you needed him and carefully, slowly pieced you back together. That was a debt that you could never repay, but as every second passed the idea of being cared about by such a caring, loving and totally wonder gentleman became more and more inviting. Your feelings for him grew stronger, but you stopped yourself. You had to. Before you did anything stupid that you would live to regret.

Benedict still held your hands in his, thumb gently swirling patterns in the water that lay upon your pale, soft skin, Ben's eyes never once left yours and in this moment you could see just how much he cared. Upon feeling you shivering he dragged you closer to his warm chest and held you there, chin resting on your soaking hair, and everything felt so perfect.

"______, you're shivering so badly! Let's get you dry and warm, you can wear some of my clothes whilst we dry yours" Ben suggested, you nodded yet still clung to him, arms wrapped around his strong, thermal torso. He shifted slightly so that his arm was draped around your shoulders and you were now hugging him from the side, then in unison you walked back into the house, shutting the cold outside and embracing the coziness of Ben's flat.

Benedict turned on the shower for you and set to work on getting your clothes dried, normally you would have protested and attended to your own clothes but today you didn't. This was Ben, and this was different. You had a quick shower, mainly just to get some heat back into your body, and then you left the bathroom with a towels around yourself and one around your damp hair. Ben was in his bedroom flicking through his drawers to find something suitable for you to wear, "I don't know what to pick out, you're going to have to come and choose" he said as you entered the room. You strolled over to where he was and knelt down in front of you drawers, you picked out a light blue shirt made from soft cotton and put it on over your head, it stopped just above your knee, it was comfortable and warm but you were still cold and Ben could tell. "Ok, good choice, that's my favourite shirt" he chuckled, flashing you a subtle wink, "now come and choose a jumper, I can tell you're still bloody freezing!" He added, dragging you to the wardrobe across the room. In any other case the amount of physical contact you and Ben had without actually being together would have been strange, but you liked the fact that he wanted to be close to you all the time, it meant that you could be close to him without even having to ask. When you reached the wardrobe Ben still kept a firm grip on your hand, you didn't mind, with his other hand he opened the door and presented his clustered wardrobe to you. 

There was an endless supply of jumpers and hoodies and jackets and you weren't even sure where to start, the colours and different kinds amazed you! After a few minutes of rummaging you tugged on the sleeve of a dark blue one, thick and wooly, Ben loosened his grip on your hand before allowing it to drop and using both hands, he pulled the jumper from within the collection. He stretched the neckline and lifted it into the air, he gently placed it over your head and tugged it downwards, it came to knee height and covered the bottom of the blue shirt.

It smelt like Ben, you liked that, you pushed your arms down the long sleeves and shimmied it further down your body. Benedict stayed right in front of you and after you'd finished adjusting the jumper to make it more comfortable your attention was turned entirely back to him. His beautiful blue eyes bore into yours, his pupils large and content, he was close to you and you could feel his soothing, steady breath on your clammy forehead. It would have been so easy to just close the gap between you and Ben, to stand on your tip toes, lean across and just kiss him, but you didn't. You held back. You stayed calm. 

"Thank you for looking after me Ben" you said "thank you for everything" you murmured quietly after, hoping that he heard you, you avoided the 'moment' you'd just shared politely, and he understood that. You wrapped your arms around him again, completely naturally as you'd got quite accustomed to Ben's wonderful hugs, you rested your heavy head on his chest, listening to his heart gently beating away. Benedict reciprocated the hug and leaning back, placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, "the pleasure is all mine, entirely, darling" he murmured quietly. You felt his heart beat slightly faster and tightened the hug, your heart was racing and pounding, you wondered if he noticed what with how observant he was. You'd have been happy if he had, at least then he'd know exactly the effect that he had on you...


	10. A Walk With A Gentleman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a heated argument, an unexpected confession and a stormy patch how will things be between you and Benedict?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly I must apologise for not posting in so long, I feel so terrible and like such a let down! I won't even lie and say that I was too busy to write this chapter because I wrote it at the same time as the previous chapter, I have however been too busy to type it up :\ But I'm back now, so all is well! Hope you enjoy this lil' chapter, thank you for sticking with me, for kudos and comments, I love you all so very much!

As the night passed by Benedict suggested that you watched a film, you agreed and after much deliberation the two of you decided on watching Thor. You watched about 1/3 of the film curled up in Ben's arms, upon the appearance of a certain Mr Hiddleston Benedict went into total fangirl mode, praising his friend's wonderful acting! After that the two of you ended up discussing him, Ben told you hilarious stories about himself and Tom causing mischief together on the set of War Horse, it was so obvious how proud Benedict was of his friend and it was genuinely heartwarming. You watched a bit more of the film, eyes barely staying open, Benedict's hushed breathing was lulling you into sleep which you were desperately trying to avoid! You glanced at your watch and saw the time, 12:15, you should be at home in bed right now!

Unravelling yourself from Benedict's tight embrace, much to his disappointment, you sat upright on the sofa, the smell of Ben wafted from the jumper with every movement you made, you breathed it in making the most of the opportunity. The feeling of the soft wool against your skin was calming and the warmth you had attained was withheld from seeping out by its comfy, protective layer. Ben sat upright too, rubbing his eyes, stretching and yawning, you were surprised that his arms weren't numb considering the tightness and duration of your hug.

"I should definitely be heading back" you said quietly, your voice still groggy with sleep "before it gets too late, or too dark". By this time Benedict was fully awake, staring into your eyes, sad and concerned. It was almost impossible to resist the urge to stay a little longer when he looked so disappointed, but if you stayed in his arms for longer than it might just have been possible that you would never want to leave. "I'll come with you! Make sure you get home safe" he blurted out without even thinking, the pleading tone made it hard for you to refuse, but you did. "Ben, it's late, you don't have to come. Please stay here, I'll be fine" you responded, he'd already told you about the busy week he had ahead; interviews, awards shows, filming and premiers; and he needed to get enough rest.

Being the gentleman that he was Ben refused to let you go home alone, you changed back into your own clothes that had successfully dried, a short sleeved t shirt and some loose pants, not the most appropriate outfit to be wearing in the middle of autumn. Ben handed you back the jumper, "to keep you warm on the journey" he said with a genuine smile, you put the jumper on once again, grabbed your bag and headed down the stairs with Benedict following closely behind.

Your house was about 15 minutes away from Ben's so the two of you decided to walk it, on the premise that he would get a taxi back instead of walking alone. You snuggled under his protective arm and walked quickly, avoiding the frosty London air, the contact progressed as you drew closer to your house, arm around shoulder, hand on small of back, linking arms and when you had reached the 5 minutes to go marker Benedict reached down. His slender fingers found your hand, intertwining with yours, fitting perfectly in the spaces that your fingers left like the pieces of a jigsaw drawn together and so completed, it felt so comfortable and right, your heart fluttered uncontrollably in your chest. Turning the corner onto your street you considered walking straight past your house just so that you could be in Ben's company for longer, you were sure he wouldn't mind.

Standing at the front door you found it hard to rationalise what to do or say. Kiss him? Hug him? Invite him inside? Just say goodbye? You played it safe and hugged him tighter than ever before, he welcomed the hug swaying you slightly, he leaned back catching a glimpse of your face under the glaring streetlamp which shone down on you. Looking up you didn't know what to expect, his eyes beckoned you to make the first move but you couldn't, you were shy, embarrassed, awkward and terrified, you reached up and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek. The eye contact returned, the moment was there and it disappeared as you said goodbye and headed inside, you had wanted to kiss him so badly but he was away all week and that would only have made things more complicated... And neither of you needed that right now! Benedict hopped in a cab with the promise to "see you soon, sweetheart", you desperately hoped that he'd keep this promise, because the next time you wouldn't be scared or embarrassed. You liked him, a lot, and he deserved to know that!


	11. That Magical Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a cute night with Benedict he has a proposition for you that you can't refuse...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another new chapter to make up for my lapse in consistency, hope you all enjoy it!  
> Hopefully the next chapter will hold the one thing you've all been waiting for... ;)  
> Thank you once again for comments, views, kudos and bookmarks it honestly mean so much to me :D
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr if you have it, my URL name is 'HeyCumberBackHere' :)p.s. I always follow back!

You woke up the next morning, still wearing Ben's jumper, you snuggled further into it not wanting to get up and face the cold autumn day that awaited. Reaching for your phone which lay on the table beside you you wondered what Ben would be doing right now, upon unlocking it you found a message, sent at 1:30 am, it was from Benedict:

Please tell me you felt it too- Ben x

These were your least favourite kinds of message, the vague ones that could refer to anything, but you had a feeling that you knew exactly what he was talking about... The moment. Everything seemed to stop or at least slow down as you looked into his beautiful eyes the previous night whilst stood on your doorstep. It was a kind of silence like you had never experienced before, so full of the busy noise of London yet so peaceful, so magical. Without hesitation you replied:

The silence? Like no one else was there, like nothing else mattered? Like the ones you read about in fairy tales or see in films? The silence that you always believed was nonexistent and have never felt before? Yes, I did feel it, I can only hope that you did too... x

After waiting about 20 minutes for a reply from him you wondered if he was talking about something else, that would be awkward and embarrassing! But nevertheless you felt better having told Ben how you felt, you had put it off for long enough and all you had to worry about now was how he would respond.

You loaded your clothes from the day before into the washing machine and set them to wash, you showered and changed into some fresh clothes resisting the urge to put Benedict's jumper back on and tidied your poxy flat. Your phone beeped whilst you were dusting, you were apprehensive about Ben's reply:

That's the one! We need to talk, I got you a ticket to sit in the audience at Graham Norton tonight when I have my interview, please come? We can talk before the show and go out afterwards if you're up for it! - Ben x

Phew! Relief washed over you, he felt the same and he understood! How could you refuse his kind invitation, of course you agreed to go, you were excited to be able to watch Ben in his 'natural habitat' in front of camera's and fans. He said that he'd send a car to collect you at 6 o'clock, which gave you exactly 3 hours to relax and get ready, the time flew by and you were left with half an hour to get dressed. 

You opted for a tight cuffed checkered blouse with a pretty white collar, a tube skirt made from a kind of tartan fabric, dark blue tights and some sturdy high heels. Your shoulder length hair flowed freely and held two small plaits clipped back on either side of your head, you had minimal make up on and carried a small brown bag which you slung across your shoulder. The car beeped outside and you headed down, grabbing your long blue coat, similar to the one Benedict wears in Sherlock, to protect you from the biting cold wind outside.

The car pulled away from your house and you rang Ben to let him know you'd set off and would be there soon.

*dialing tone and ringing*  
"Ah darling are you on your way?" Ben's voiced boomed down the phone.  
"Just set off" you responded.  
"I can't wait to see you, ________" he half whispered.  
"Me either" you giggled.  
"I'll meet you at the back of the studio, there are lots of fans but it'll be fine" Ben told you.  
At the thought of his millions of fans you froze, unable to respond, it hit you hard and you hadn't really considered them before, your voice caught in your throat and your response faltered and ceased.  
"______, are you okay? Are you still there? Speak to me darling!" Ben said, concern and worry lining his words.  
"Your fans... I don't think I- I just... They're gonna hate me Ben- if I go inside with you" you murmured.  
"Trust me, okay, everything will be fine! Don't worry, please, I have to go but I'll see you very soon!" He reassured you.  
"I don't know Ben..." You replied.  
"You have no choice, I am here waiting for you, come to me please, I'll protect you! Goodbye _______" and with that he was gone...

The car turned and edged through the barriers and around the back of the studio, this was it, and you were terrified...


	12. On the Steps of the Studio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benedict's appearing on the Graham Norton Show and all is going well until something is mentioned that panics you, but honestly it works in your favour...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. I'm shit for not posting in so long. I can only apologise, here's a cute-ish chapter to say I'm sorry, love and hugs to you all :')

The car rolled around the corner and through the waiting crowd to the doors at the back of the studio, it halted and stopped, the driver clambered out and walked around to get the door for you. A voice made him stop in his tracks, it was Ben's, he rushed out of the door, security guards on each side of him, he shrugged them off and pulled the door open. He held his hand out to assist you out of the car, normally you would have hesitated but in this case there seemed to be a looming sense of urgency so you took his hand and stepped out of the car using your other hand to drag your coat from the seat and hold it strategically in front of your face. Benedict lead you past the barriers holding back his many fans and into the safety of the studio, you heard a few remarks; "who is she?", " why did Ben hold her hand?", "wow, how brave, she won't even show her face!". You brushed them off as you were dragged through winding corridors to a room with Ben's name plastered on the door, the two of you entered and you made yourself comfortable on the chair next to his at his dressing table, he sat next to you and turned to directly face you.

" Look, _______, we need to talk. And I know this is far from the best place to do it. But I have some time before I get called to stage, so it's better than nothing" he said in between puffed breaths, he seemed to be flustered by your arrival and the dash to the dressing room. "I know, we really need to, we need to make sure we're both on the same page!" You responded calmly. Benedict allowed his breathing pattern to return to normal before speaking again. "I really hope we are, ______! That would mean the world to me to know that we both feel the same" the corners of his mouth curved upwards and his sparkling eyes seemed to radiate happiness. You could feel a scarlet blush consuming the entirety of your face and you were certain that you could feel the blood rushing through your veins as your heart rate picked up. He chuckled at your expression, "I'll go first if you like, then you can tell me if the feeling is reciprocated... So, from the moment we met I -" he was cut off by a knock on the door, a small assistant, notepad in hand, microphone headset wrapped around her head burst through the door.

"Mr Cumberbatch, you're needed in the green room as you're the first guest on" she blurted out, clearly oblivious to your current situation, he nodded graciously and got to his feet. Benedict told you that if you waited around after the show you could talk properly, possibly over dinner if you weren't too tired, you accepted his offer and gave him a quick good luck hug before parting ways so that you could find your seat before the show started.

The seat you were allocated was in the furthest left of the three blocks of seats about half way up the tier, you got comfortable and waited for the show to commence. Graham Norton made a few jokes to initiate the introduction of the show, he then announced the guests, Benedict, James McAvoy and Natalie Dormer. It was a great line up in your opinion and you were determined on enjoying the show, Graham welcomed Benedict to the stage and invited him to take a seat on the sofa.

The interview consisted mainly of questions regarding Ben's past and upcoming projects but then it shifted slightly...

"Well I suppose, that really Benedict we're quite lucky to have you here, I have heard that you've had plenty of near-death experiences in your lifetime. Tell us a bit about them!" Ben blushed, it was so obvious, you could see it so clearly where you were sat but then his face turned slightly more serious. "Erm, it's not really that exciting, I had a bad hostage experience in South Africa, I almost got hypothermia as a child etc, it's really not that interesting or amazing" he murmured humbly. "Then there was a more recent one, am I correct in thinking that, involving your car and another car?" Graham blurted out.

Your stomach flipped, you felt sick, suddenly the lights were too bright, the studio was too hot, and there were way too many people in there!  
Benedict's response was irrelevant, you managed to catch small sections of it as you edged past the many people separating you from the steps, you needed to get out. Ben described the event in minute detail and even took responsibility for the crash but hearing the story of it again made you panic as flashes of the incident appear in your head. You ascended the stairs as fast as you could without falling or collapsing, you could see the exit door right at the top of the steps but it seemed so far away, the dog kept appearing in your mind, it's startled eyes in the headlights, then the apple and the crash! 

Graham's voice forced its way through your thoughts; "oh someone didn't enjoy your story very much Benedict, they're leaving before the interval" the audience roared with laughter which all seemed to be directed straight at you. "Is that... Yes it is... _____!! _______!! Wait!" Benedict's voice boomed from the stage, you thought about just running straight out, he couldn't follow you out, it would be unprofessional to leave an interview, but you didn't, you turned to see him shielding his eyes from the bright lights and dashing up the steps to meet you. 

Within moments he was standing on the step in front of you, his beautiful eyes filled with guilt, soothing yet apologetic, he held out his arm for you to loop yours through "I'm so sorry ______. Just come with me, trust me" he whispered with a subtle wink.

Benedict lead you down the steps to stage floor and onto the stage, he signalled towards the sofa and after a nod of approval from Graham you took a seat, he sat directly behind you on the sofa, his chest turned protectively towards your back. Graham welcomed you to the show and asked your name, you were absolutely speechless so Ben answered for you, he introduced you, told the audience about you, how the two of you met, he squoze your hand out of sight, behind your back. You felt so comfortable in his presence, after speaking about you for what felt like a lifetime he paused before speaking again. The words that came out of his mouth made your breath catch in your throat, a lump prevented you from swallowing properly and tears welled up in your eyes. "... Sure we might not have met in a conventional way but I think it was fate you know, we didn't meet. We collided." He flashed you a brilliant smile and hugged you, LIVE ON TV! You couldn't believe it but you returned the hug, wiping your tears off on the shoulder of his jacket.

The two of you sat together on the sofa until all the other interviewees had been on and the show had finished. Instead of socialising you and Benedict left the stage straight away, you headed for his dressing room without a word.

"Benedict, I just need to say this, I've needed to say it for a while but hadn't realised." You said as soon as the door closed behind you, "I... I- I erm, I think I'm in love with you". It felt so nice to have the weight off your shoulders, to have finally confessed your feelings to Benedict, you squeezed your eyes tight shut until he responded.

It felt like an eternity before he responded, but when he did you couldn't help but smile... " I think I'm in love with you too _____" he replied sincerely. You opened your eyes and gazed into his, "you don't just have to say it back Ben, just because you feel guil-" before you could even finish your sentence he'd closed the gap between the two of you and your faces were now centimetres apart, he stooped down, wrapping both his hands loosely around your waist and leaned in towards you. The door swung open but nothing and no one was going to interrupt the two of you this time, it slowly closed again. Stretching onto your tiptoes you reached up to meet Benedict halfway, arms draped around his strong, smooth neck.

As your lips met it was unlike anything you had ever experienced, so firm yet so tender and meaningful. Benedict's lips were so soft and warm against yours, it was innocent, how the first kiss should be, not rushed. Just perfect.


End file.
